GEELONG 163 PORT ADELAIDE 44!

It has been a long, long forty-four years for fans of the Cats. Enjoy your premiership.

From the Geelong Cats' official website:

Drought over: Cats win by massive 119 points

GEELONG has ended a 44-year-old drought to clinch its first premiership since 1963, annihilating Port Adelaide by 119 points in the Toyota AFL Grand Final at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

The Cats were simply devastating as they destroyed the Power by a record Grand Final margin ever, eclipsing the former record of 96 points held by Hawthorn for their defeat of Melbourne in 1988.

Geelong showed why it was crowned minor premiers with three rounds to go, why it was able to amass a 15-game winning streak mid-season, and why both the Brownlow medallist and the NAB AFL Rising Star came from its stable.

With the team orientated, flowing style that made them the all-conquering side they've been this year, the Cats outplayed the Power and kept the interstate visitors to a mere six goals for the game – only two of which were scored after half time.

To top off the afternoon – and to add to the number of accolades the Cats have already snared this year – forward Steve Johnson was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for best on ground.

Johnson becomes the club's second-ever Norm Smith medallist, with Gary Ablett Sr picking up the only other one back in 1989.


An Ablett family affair

GARY Ablett Jr is stoked he can share the spoils of a Grand Final victory with his famous dad, the 1989 final's star player denied a premiership win.

Twelve years after Gary Ablett played in a Grand Final, his sons swept aside the jinx their famous father could not, News Limited newspapers said.

Ablett Jr said his father would share in the elusive premiership medal.

He vowed to "cut my medal in half and give him half".

Ablett Sr told Gary Jr and Nathan: "Do it for yourselves, the club and the city (Geelong)".

"He came in before the game and said, 'G'day' and told us to just enjoy ourselves," Ablett Jr said.

And after the game, Ablett Sr congratulated his sons.

"It was great, just fantastic," he said. "It was certainly better than anything in the past - a damn sight better.

"I'm very proud of the boys, the team and the club."

Nathan, 21, said the win delighted his father.

"Obviously it's something that Dad wanted," he said. "It's for everyone around the club at the moment. It's great to be here. It's great to win.

"It's nice just to be in a Grand Final for starters - then to win one."


What they said: Geelong
Quotes from Geelong's flag-winners in the rooms after Saturday's record win


From AFL.com.au:

Anatomy of a premiership
It'd be too easy to say Geelong won the 2007 premiership because it was the best performed AFL team over 22 rounds and in the finals. Although this is factual, it doesn't highlight the real reasons and indictors why it achieved its first flag in 44 years.